Travel Talk

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and one of the oldest cities in the Caribbean. Its walled, cobblestone historic center, the Colonial Zone, features buildings dating back to the 16th century, including the cathedral, which was the first built in the New World. The Alcázar de Colón palace stands in the café-lined Plaza de España. Today, it's one of several museums in the city displaying outstanding medieval and Renaissance artwork. Santo Domingo was populated by the Tainos from the 7th century until its discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492, since then, it became the first European settlement in the Americas and the first seat of the Spanish colonial government in the New World Located on the Caribbean coast, at the mouth of the Ozama River, founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1498 on the eastern bank of the Ozama River and then moved by Nicolás de Ovando in 1502 to the western bank of the same river. And so, we have Santo Domingo East, Santo Domingo West and Santo Domingo, National District.

lyle01 October 9, 2025

Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and one of the oldest cities in the Caribbean. Its walled, cobblestone historic center, the Colonial Zone, features buildings dating back to the 16th century, including the cathedral, which was the first built in the New World. The Alcázar de Colón palace stands in the café-lined Plaza de España. Today, it’s one of several museums in the city displaying outstanding medieval and Renaissance artwork.
Santo Domingo was populated by the Tainos from the 7th century until its discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492, since then,
it became the first European settlement in the Americas and the first seat of the Spanish colonial government in the New World
Located on the Caribbean coast, at the mouth of the Ozama River, founded by Bartholomew Columbus in 1498 on the eastern bank of the Ozama River and then moved by Nicolás de Ovando in 1502 to the western bank of the same river.
And so, we have Santo Domingo East, Santo Domingo West and Santo Domingo, National District.

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Santo Domingo was populated by the Taínos from the 7th century until its discovery by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Since then, it has become the first European settlement in the Americas and the first seat of the Spanish colonial government in the New World.

Santo Domingo is home to the first cathedral and the first castle in the Americas, both located in the colonial city, an area declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Also located in Santo Domingo is the first university established in the Americas, the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo.

After three centuries of Spanish rule with intermittent periods of French and Haitian colonization, the country gained its independence in 1821, but fell back under Haitian occupation until February 27, 1844 (the country’s National Day), later returning under Spanish protection.

Santo Domingo fell under US occupation from 1916 to 1924, and later suffered a period of total repression under the dictator Trujillo Molina from 1930 to 1961.

The 1965 civil war paved the way for a U.S. military intervention. After its withdrawal, Santo Domingo was ruled by the authoritarian regime of Joaquín Balaguer, which lasted two periods, from 1966 to 1978 and from 1986 to 1996.